Latest from Books

John Key: I thought about quitting
John Key briefly considered walking away from the job about 18 months ago and his new biography reveals he sacked two Ministers for 'nothing in particular'.

Book is anything but boring
It's said you should never judge a book by its cover, and Auckland author Vasanti Unka's The Boring Book proves this.

Book review: The SilkWorm
It was three months after the publication of Robert Galbraith's The Cuckoo's Calling, that J.K. Rowling was exposed as the true author of "his" crime debut, lauded by readers and critics alike.

Editorial: Wild claims hurt writer's good work
Editorial: Book launches can be a trap for unwary authors. Eager to gain the maximum publicity for their work, they face an ever-present temptation to gild the lily.

'Chilling effect' after judge's ruling
A judge has ruled a book written by a Herald journalist about Kim Dotcom is not "news activity" - so it doesn't get special legal protections.

Warren Alcock: Pride and passion driving force for Hobbs
While New Zealand fans were still recovering from the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Jane Goodall: On a crusade
becoming an octogenarian has only ramped up Jane Goodall’s globe-trekking schedule, because there’s far too much to be done to pause for a breather.

Ned Beauman: When wild foxes come into town
Ned Beauman’s new novel, Glow, is being touted as an international conspiracy thriller for a new generation, writes Stephen Jewell.

Book review: Mr Mercedes
Most of what you need to know about Stephen King you could learn from his sex scenes.

Nicola Barker: Teetering on the brink
British writer Nicola Barker retreats into a self-indulgent solitude when she is working, she tells James Kidd.

'Spot the dog' creator dies
Eric Hill, the children’s author behind the Spot the Dog series, has died at the age of 86 in his California home.

Clinton book tour the start of something else
There is no race for US president this year or next but one woman will today take a very public step towards ensuring she'll be ready to jump in when the time comes.

Need 'executive presence'? Act, sound, look like a leader
Economist and author Sylvia Ann Hewlett offers her take on the intangibles of leadership.

Book wars: A monopolist vs. the cartel
In the latest clash between Amazon (the monopolist) and publishers Hachette (the cartel), neither side comes with clean hands or pure heart.

Pen replaces sword for war vet
Leslie "String" Garner's new occupation couldn't get much further from the battlefields of Vietnam and Borneo.

Bored yet? You should be
Sloth, torpor, idleness. Forget the negative connotations, for it turns out they might actuallybe good for us. Kate Bussmann managed to put down her iPad and allowed her mind to wander for the purposes of research.

Book review: Orfeo
This latest novel by the prolific Richard Powers may be summarised very briefly.

The 'Cinderella of tech'
Q&A with Sophia Amoruso, the CEO of online fashion site Nasty Gal and author of the new book #GIRLBOSS.

JK Rowling's revenge on 'd**ks'
JK Rowling’s next novel includes a shady journalist and a not-so-subtle attack on phone-hacking.

1D erotic online fiction author inks book deal
A One Direction fan's erotic online fiction about her fantasy romance with singer Harry Styles has been commissioned into a series of novels by a major publisher.

Amazon defends tactics against publisher Hachette
Amazon.com defended its tough tactics in a contract dispute with the Hachette Book Group as some critics called for boycotts of the giant online retailer.

How Amazon sells steroids and banned sports stimulants
Amazon customers are able to easily buy prescription-only medicines through the website.

Dying Clive James makes 'another farewell appearance'
If anyone epitomised the Anzac Spirit at the Australia and New Zealand Literary Festival in London last weekend, it was Clive James.

The girl who collected teeth
Growing up on navy bases, Laini Taylor always wanted to write. She tells David Larsen about the blue-haired girl with an unusual collection who helped her realise her ambition.